2007 Winner:  Michael Pilato

Michael Ryan Pilato’s winning project is an actor’s performance workshop and performance with students of Parkway Middle School of the Arts. He has recently played the roles of Audrey 2 in Little Shop of Horrors, Munkustrap in Cats, Jean Val Jean in Les Miserables, Jason in Media, Big Josh in BIG, MacDuff in MacBeth, Horton in Suessical, Phillip Glass and Trotsky in All in the Timing and Edward in A Class Act. He has been awarded Outstanding Male Vocalist in Broward County Cappie Awards, Critics Choice in Duet Acting, Directing, Monologue, Large Group Musical Ensemble, Play Writing and Student Directed Scene and Superior Awards at State and District levels for Solo Musical and Duet Musical. He also won Best Supporting Actor in Broward County 2004 and Best Actor in Broward County in 2005 and 2006.
 

Michael Ryan Pilato is a young performance artist currently pursuing a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre at Emerson College in Boston, MA. His influence in the theatre springs from many fortunate happenstances and a growing love for the power to say something in a unique way.

As a sophomore in high school, Michael received full scholarship into the performing arts program at American Heritage Center for the Arts in Plantation. Having been seen in shows such as Medea (Jason), Seussical  (Horton), All In The Timing, Macbeth (Macduff), Big (Josh), A Class Act (Edward Kleban), Cats (Munkustrap), and Les Miserables (Jean Val Jean), Michael has explored a rich theatrical experience, working the spectrum with both professional equity actors and community theatre as well.

Michael's original script, "Where has the Time Gone", took Critics Choice at Thespian competition in 2005. He has taken advanced acting workshops in Chicago and has also directed his own workshops at Parkway Middle School of the Arts where he will be returning to fulfill the goals of his recent award, and the Sol Children’s Theatre.

Michael is very passionate about spreading the possibilities of theatre to the youth of Broward County, and more importantly he believes the art can better us, as people; that it holds great sense of value and perspective to view and shape the world. He is extremely grateful for the opportunity to put his beliefs into substance with the students at Parkway Middle School and he is extremely excited to get started.